Chamber of commerce saved, bakery closes branches and more
We hope you’re enjoying the current interregnum of Autumn where if you close your eyes it could still be late summer and when you open them you can still see leaves on the trees and not all over your garden!
As we move into the last quarter of the year, we hope you’ll be able to spare a few moments to catch up on all the interesting and important business & insolvency news stories you might have missed from the past seven days.
So if you want to know what directors need to know about the new Covid Repayment Amnesty; the essential facts directors facing a CCJ need to know; how an MVL unlocks tax efficiency for directors; six essential considerations about Directors’ Loan Accounts in insolvency and how even though it’s Autumn, you can give your business a late summer boost – you can read all these stories and more at our advice centre page.
Cinnabon
A US bakery chain has abruptly closed all 12 of its UK outlets with immediate effect.
Cinnabon was trading in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Edinburgh and several other major cities less than five years after its UK launch.
EG On the Move, the company that introduced Cinnabon to the UK via a partnership arrangement with the owners announced they had made the strategic decision to close all of their stores.
A statement from EG said: “This was not a decision taken lightly, but it reflects the strategic shift to focus on our core convenience retail business.
“This decision aligns with our wider business strategy to focus on areas where we can deliver the greatest value to our customers. We extend our sincere thanks to our team members for their dedication, to the Cinnabon brand team for their ongoing partnership and to our customers for their loyalty and support.”
Byron Burger
A gourmet burger chain with 12 branches across the UK has filed a Notice of Intent to appoint administrators.
Byron Burgers had 67 branches across the UK in 2018 after launching in 2007.
The company is owned by Tristar Foods Ltd which purchased the brand two years ago. The pandemic was hard for the business when it reduced its number of branches from 51 to 21. They then earmarked ten of these remaining restaurants for closure that resulted in 600 positions being made redundant.
Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce Pre-Pack
The largest Chamber of Commerce in the UK has been acquired out of administration allowing them to continue delivering their core services to members.
Administrators of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce have sold the business and assets of the organisation to a newly-formed chamber entity, safeguarding the 37 employees who have been transferred to the purchaser.
A statement from the Chamber said: “We’re pleased that a deal has been negotiated whereby jobs have been preserved and continuity of the vital services carried out by the Chamber in supporting the Greater Manchester business community has been secured.
“Following the creation of the new organisation, the Chamber’s core services – supporting business; international trade services; influencing policy; delivering the LSIP; being the voice of business on key issues such as skills and promoting economic growth across Greater Manchester – will continue.
“The Chamber Space service was closed in August and will not return as part of this new model. The chief executive will step down after a brief period of transition and the senior leadership team will lead the Chamber as they develop a longer-term leadership and management model with the board in order to drive the new business forward.”
Rea Valley Tractors
Administrators have been unable to find a buyer for a Shropshire agricultural company who have decided to wind-down the business with the result that 149 positions have been made redundant.
Rea Valley Tractors sold, serviced and repaired agricultural machinery as well as workplace storage solutions from their headquarters in Burton-on-Trent and outlets in Ormskirk, Welshpool and Shrewsbury.
A statement was issued from the directors that said: “Rea Valley Tractors is one of the most recognisable names in the local agricultural industry and it’s with great sadness that it entered administration along with Dunstall Holdings.”
They confirmed that the companies had been trying to secure a long-term future through the sale of all or part of the business as a result of difficult trading conditions over a prolonged period and inflationary cost pressure. Unfortunately no viable offers were received and the directors felt they had no alternative but to place the companies into administration.
Wallers Estate Agents
An Oxfordshire estate agent has gone into voluntary liquidation after being unable to repay an outstanding bounce back loan.
Wallers Estate Agents were founded in 2014 and as well as their Oxford office had opened a second branch in Swindon.
The company was originally known as Isis Estate Agents but rebranded after the rise of the ISIS terrorist group which caused negative associations with the original name.
Wallers was also active in the local community and sponsored National League Oxford City football club.
Vision Plus Pre Pack
A 40-year-old East Midlands electronics manufacturer and seller has been purchased out of administration in a pre-pack deal, securing its immediate future.
Grade (UK), trading as Vision Plus, was established in 1986 in Nottingham and became a major manufacturer and distributor of mobile television antennas and related products for the caravan, motorhome and marine markets.
According to the administrators, they faced significant challenges in recent years due to “declining market conditions” in the recreational vehicle sector since 2018 which resulted in a 25% reduction in sales during 2024, followed by a further 25% decline in the first quarter of 2025.
These difficulties were compounded by “increased competitive pressures” and “changing consumer preferences” leaving the business “unable to achieve the turnaround required despite considerable investment in new Wi-Fi enabled antenna technology.”
Administrators confirmed that the sale was designed to “preserve the ongoing value of the business and secure employment where possible whilst maximising returns for creditors.”
Eye to Eye Media
A food magazine publisher and content agency has gone into voluntary liquidation.
Eye to Eye media published the monthly food magazine Delicious which had an average print circulation of over 36,000 including 28,000 paid subscribers. They also provided branded content solutions for Waitrose and Fortnum & Mason as well as publishing the Healthy Food Guide magazine and several puzzle magazines.
A statement from Adrienne Moyce, publishing director of Eye to Eye business confirmed that the business went into liquidation. She said: “It is with great sadness that I share that Eye to Eye Media has ceased trading at the end of August.
“Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with some truly talented and dedicated colleagues who poured their energy, creativity and expertise into producing Delicious – the UK’s leading food title.”
JNKC Bakery
A Healthy Cookie start-up is closing and going into voluntary liquidation a few years after it launched.
JNCK Bakery was founded by brothers Alex and Sean Brassill who launched their range of non-HFSS cookies in 2023 and had a successful listing in Tesco last year after joining the retailer’s accelerator programme.
They had raised over a quarter of a million pounds of investment and were looking to expand their range and increase distribution in the foodservice channel.
Alex Brassill issued a statement saying: “After the most incredible five years , it is with a wide range of emotions that I share JNCK Bakery’s journey has come to an end.
“Having placed so much love and energy into the brand, there is naturally a huge sense of loss. JNCK became such a big part of our identity, and for many reasons we believed it would continue to flourish.
“We made good decisions running JNCK bakery and made mistakes. I believe it’s never been harder to succeed with a start-up brand in food and drink.”
Vidi Construction
A Midlands housing construction firm has announced that it is going into administration.
Vidi Construction was founded in 2016 in Coventry and specialised in the design and construction of large-scale residential developments mainly in the Midlands and the South of England.
40 positions are at risk of redundancy as a result.
Avondale Environmental
A landfill and waste business in Falkirk has gone into administration with 20 positions at risk of redundancy.
Avondale Environmental Ltd operates a waste management facility and landfill in Polmont. They provide critical waste management services to customers across Scotland including the processing of hazardous waste.
A statement issued on behalf of the directors said: “The company has historically been profitable and provides unique services in the sector, in particular with regard to hazardous waste.
“Avondale has been processing waste since 2000 and is widely recognised by local councils and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). We are currently in the process of capping sections of the site and provide competitive rates for clean soils which can be used for restoration purposes.”
Neurodelicious CLC
A theatre company dedicated to making shows by neurodivergent performance artists has closed, citing difficulties in securing funding.
Neurodelicious CIC was believed to have been England’s first community interest company that focused on developing work by performance artists with brain differences such as autism, OCD, Tourette syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia.
The collective assembled actors, choreographers, dancers, writers and other artists with the aim of celebrating artists who identify as neurodivergent and staging professional shows that are accessible to neurodivergent audience members.
The organisation closed on September 15th after a fundraising campaign failed to raise the funds needed to sustain it.
Directors issued a statement confirming the news and said: “The decision to wind down and close Neurodelicious CIC wasn’t taken lightly. However, it has become increasingly difficult to secure funding to produce new work. We three have each subsidised a share of the running costs of the CIC for some time.
“As each of us also faces the challenges of being a self-employed freelancer in the creative industries where many funding cuts have been made recently, something simply had to give so that we could each focus on our own paid work.
“At the start of the year, we introduced a new individual giving fundraising campaign and although we did find some generous people who kindly donated regularly to the CIC, even that couldn’t raise sufficient funds to make the CIC viable longer term.
“While we never thought Neurodelicious CIC would be a perfect solution to the many employment and societal challenges faced by neurodivergent creatives and performance professionals, we did learn lots of important things (sometimes the hard way) about running a new not-for-profit company packed full of neurodivergent people.”
There are still three months left in 2025 – which is still plenty of time for a business owner or director to find out what changes they can make to help strengthen or rebuild their business.
Get in touch with us today to chat with one of our advisors about what options you’ve got on the table – usually more than you realise!
The sooner you make contact, the sooner you can begin.